RHD PROTEST MARCH part I  : Part II coming up

The People Against Switching Sides (PASS) scheduled protest match on Monday is predicting a bigger turnout of supporters, than before.

PASS Chairman, lawyer Toleafoa Solomon To’ailoa, did not want to put any number on the likely turnout but is confident there will a whole lot more than the first march last year.

“The estimate was between 10 - 15 thousand for our first march but this time it will be much bigger than that,” Toleafoa said in a press conference on Friday.

 “The reason is that more people who did not join that first march are now coming out to show their support,” he added.

The PASS protest has been bolstered by a host of villages that have come out in public to criticise the Government road switch plans.

“The village wasn’t there when we held our first protest march, but they are now and PASS is encouraged by the response.”

Transportion are being organised to bus in supporters from the rural areas and also at the Mulifanua wharf for those traveling from Savaii.

The RHD protesters are focusing pressure on Government Members of Parliament to get them to vote against the proposed legislation, which will be put to the third and final vote when Parliament meets next week.

While the PASS effort has focused mainly on gentle persuasion and appeal, a newer and more hardline twist is starting to emerge, to win over the endorsement of Government MPs who are reportedly unsure of the RHD switch.

“The 2011 general elections is not too far off and these MPs will do well to consider that very seriously.

“They are there to represent the will of the people who put them there and these are the people who are now protesting against this ridiculous intention by Government to switch sides of the road.”

If the PASS protest fails to win over the numbers in Parliament to stop the RHD Bill from going through, the final recourse left to stop Government is a legal challenge now before the court.

The court is due to rule on a strike out motion by the Attorney General on the 28^th of April, in response to a legal claim by PASS demanding a judicial review of the unilateral decision by Cabinet.

“PASS is bringing over a New Zealand expert with 30 years of experience on road use to testify during the hearing of the Attorney General’s strike out motion.”

Toleafoa remains assured that the strike out motion will fail and the court will proceed to set a date to hear the contention filed by PASS against Government.

The Monday protest march will follow the same route taken by the earlier one last year. Protesters will gather in front of the Government building in the morning before making their way to Parliament House at 10.00am.

White is the selected colour for everone taking part.

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